DTI asks e-commerce sites to only sell products marked with PS and ICC – Manila Bulletin

Ecommerce platforms should only sell mandatory certified products that bear the Philippine Standard (PS) mark or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker, said the Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) of the Department of Commerce and Of the industry.

DTI’s Philippine Standards Bureau (DTI-BPS) issued the recall amid growing reports and complaints about the influx of uncertified products being sold online.

Republic Law (RA) No. 4109 or Standards Law and RA No. 7394 or Consumer Law of the Philippines mandates the DTI-BPS to implement the Quality Certification Mark Licensing Program and / or Philippine Standard Safety (PS) and Import Product Authorization Certification System (ICC). Under these certification programs, mandatory products are not allowed to be distributed in the Philippine market without the necessary PS mark or ICC sticker. Manufacturers and importers of these products are required to obtain the PS license or ICC certificate, respectively, before selling or distributing their products in the country.

The current list contains 87 products under mandatory certification programs which include household appliances such as air conditioners, electric fans and televisions; lighting and wiring devices such as self-ballasted LED lights, circuit breakers, PVC electrical tapes and extension cords; steel products such as bent steel bars and equal leg steel angles; plastic pipes and ceramic products such as pipes for the supply of drinking water and sanitary ware; cement and plywood; chemical products; and automotive related products such as tires, automotive safety glass, seat belts and child restraint systems (CRS). The complete list of products can be accessed through the BPS Standards and Compliance Portal, www.bps.dti.gov.ph (direct link: https://bit.ly/BPSmandatoryList).

Online shopping platforms fall within the scope of section 3.5 of the administrative order of the department (DAO) n ° 2, series of 2007, of the DTI, which provides that: “Importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and those offering for sale a covered product the certification of the products will only sell or offer for sale products that comply with the required Philippine national standard and the required PS mark, or a valid ICC in the case of imported products.

“We remind online sellers and e-commerce platform operators in the country to ensure compliance with the requirements of the aforementioned laws, rules and regulations. Failure to comply with the requirements set out in the relevant broadcasts will force the DTI to take the necessary legal actions against these vendors, ”warned DTI Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo.

The DTI-BPS is the national standards body authorized to promulgate the Philippine National Standards (PNS). SOPs are voluntary in nature and can be used as a benchmark by any interested party. Compliance with the PNS or parts of it only becomes mandatory when it is used as a reference in technical regulations issued by regulatory authorities such as DTI.